Monogram's 1/24 Scale 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Super Bird
Another one of my favorite Chrysler products. This kit was kit bashed with Monogram's 1969 Dodge Super Bee. The Super Bird kit was way off in detail in certain areas. I used the engine bay, chassis, suspension, rear axle, engine, exhaust (mufflers to tail) and the dashboard from the Super bee kit. Manifold to muffler are aluminum tubing. Few of my MOPAR builds I have cut the drivers door open. Scratch build scale door jambs and door latch face. I reduced photos of the speedometer and "Tic Toc Tach" clusters and opened the holes in the dash. I installed the photos between clear acitate behind the dash. The dashboard, chassis and engine bay in the Super Bee kit was 100X more accurate than the kit parts. The seats are elevated by strip styreene along with scratch built seat back hinges and lock button. Seat belts are hand made from surgical tape and shaped styreene. The 440+6 engine has many, many scratch built parts, distributor was drilled and wires added (wires routed same as a real 440+6). Painted solderer for all the hoses. Engine color is correct "Street Hemi Orange" paint. Air cleaner is painted a special orange that was used from the factory. Fuel lines with attaching blocks is solder and styreene. Power steering pump with correct bent hoses. Six Pack Holly carbs were reworked from the Super Bee kit with spring and linkage. All my MOPAR radiator supports are scratch built from sheet styreene with all the correct openings. Armrests on doors and back seat were cut from the AMT 69 GTX kit, added chrome bases to them. The rear license plate fuel door has 4 parts to it with correct openings. Paint is J5 "Limelight Green", PPG Lacquer, wet sanded, Testors Lacquer clear 3 coats, wet sanded and polished with Novus #2 plastic polish. Decals of the Road Runner logo's and Super Bird Logo was made by a group friend. Only one that is missing is the Super Bird logo on the drivers side headlight door. This model was built in 1993 and took me 9 months to complete.
My Super Bird Model was built when I lived in NYC back in 1993. When I moved to Pennsylvania in 1995 I met an AWESOME group of MOPAR people. My best friend was Vince Roucco. He was a huge MOPAR nut like myself. His dream was to restore an original Super Bird. With so many leads and so many disappointments in his search. $20,000 for an original Super Bird that was rusted into the ground with a numbers matching engine that had MUD FILLED cylinders that was frozen solid. I finally mentioned to Vince, why don't you build a clone! The more that he thought about the idea the more excited he became! One day I brought out this Super Bird model and placed it in font him. His eyes were glued to it for a while. He then decided to build a Clone Bird. Purchased a 70 Road Runner with no nose and no drive train and all the parts to start the project. I helped Vince plan his build and I did the brake system, suspension , plumbing and wiring for him. We also wet sanded and buffed his car out to an awesome deep luster. His project was complete. The car was completed in 2004. In 2016 My best friend Vincent Roucco lost his battle with cancer and he was taken from us. Every time i Look at this model I think about the look on his face and dreaming of building his dream car! I love you Vince and miss you terribly!
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Yet another masterpiece Thomas. Touching story as well. Glad the model brings good memories.
My all-time favorite from the Mopar stables...back in "the day", I think they went for something like $4000 off the showroom floor - (wish I had one now) 🙁
Very nice work on that one.
I remember back in late 1970 there was a 69 green Dodge Daytona on the local Dodge dealers lot. Car sat there for over a year no one wanted it. Most New York City folk were not into NASCAR. So no one cared for it and frowned upon them on a vehicle that wouldn't fit in their garages.
Beautiful model. Thanks for reminding me the @#$$#@! 70s are tied with the $%$##! 50s and only slightly ahead of the ^((&&$$! 80's as decades that could sink into the ground and be forgotten and I would be happy. Even though they're all way ahead of the world since 2016.
Thomas, I can tell this Super Bird was a true Labor of Love. Very touching story about your friend. Bravo!
Tom, tell us what you REALLY feel!
Beautifully done Thomas, a nice story as well. Gotta be a special person to love that car. I personally thought it was drop dead ugly. It's the damn wing that ruins it's over all look, IMHO.
I can remember seeing two of the Dodge "cousins" sitting at our local Dodge dealership when they were brand new... They sat there for several years ! No one wanted them back then. My how things have changed.
One was red, the other was white. They were both Dodge Daytona's, which was Dodge's answer to the NASCAR super speedways. Ironically the dealership I'm talking about was right across from the Daytona International Speedway... for which the cars were named. I grew up in Daytona Beach.
Thomas, you continue to amaze me with the details and accuracy you build into your models... Not just everyone knows about the two different colors of Orange used on the engine and the air cleaner lid... heck, you even included the window sticker !
This one is outstanding, and that compliment is an understatement. It's even far better than that.
But the very best part of this whole posting, is the back ground story between you and your friend Vince. Each day is a gift, and your story reminds us of that.
Cancer sucks... plain and simple. Right now we are going through this with my wife.
This is a fitting tribute to your friend... and I sincerely enjoy the photos.
Thanks !
Vince would be very proud ... as should you.
Mopar or NO Car !